Apparatus for winding high nap fabric



Sept. 3, 1963 J. F. LEMlEUX, JR 3,102,700

APPARATUS FOR WINDING HIGH NAP FABRIC Filed Feb. 16, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 5 69 1N VEN TOR.

JOSEPH F. LEMIEUX JR. BY

72mm PM ATTQRNEYS United States Patent 3,102,700 APPARATUS FER WKNDKNG HIGH NAP FABRIC Joseph F. Lemienx, .ltu, 19 Fordway St, Derry, NH.

Filed Feb. 15, 1961, er. No. 89,710

11 (Jlairns. (Cl. 242-62) This invention relates to apparatus for winding webs of high nap fabric with the convolutions separated from each other to avoid compressing the nap.

In the textile art, if high nap fabrics are wound or folded andshipped in the manner of ordinary cloth, the tight windings will flatten the nap or the nap will be flattened at each fold. It has heretofore been the custorn to wind such high nap fabric on various types of reels in which the convolutions of the web are spaced apart, the height of the nap andthe convolutions are supported between the opposed heads of a reel, or spool, by hooks engaged in the selvedge. As far as I am aware, the winding of fabric in this manner is still a time consuming manual operation in the art and no practical mechanical winding apparatus has been proposed for high nap fabrics.

In Us. Patent 521,413 to Knight of June 12, 1894, a reel for winding undried plastic is disclosed wherein the plastic support is provided by a separate apron of transverse rods unreeled from a separate reel. The apron of rods becomes part of the wound reel and must accompany the same during storage or shipment. In US. Patent 2,315,532 to Lucia of April 6, 1943, and US. Patent 2,944,751 to Schwartz of July 12, 1960, winding reels are disclosed in which hooks or pins suppor the fabric by the selvedge with the convolutions extending between opposed heads of a rotor. While such devices are satisfactory for storing and shipping high nap fabric, they do not solve the problem of automatically winding the fabric thereon. At present in the art, it is customary for two men to consume a days time in manually placing the selvedge of high nap fabric on the hooks or pins of reels of the above described type and during that period, about five to seven rolls may be completed.

In the apparatus of this invention the reel, spool or rotor also supports the fabric in separated convolutions extending between reel heads, with the selvedge pierced by pins, or hooks, but the reel automatically winds the fabric onto the pins, or hooks, and does not require placement thereon by the operatives. The high nap fabric can therefore be wound at relatively high speed by a single operator with consequent reduction of cost and increase in efficiency.

The object of the invention is to provide simple, rugged apparatus for automatically winding high nap fabric on a reel with the convolutions of the fabric separated from each other.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved reel for winding high nap fabric wherein the hook means for engaging the selvedge is independently rotatable around the shaft and arranged to form a feed groove for receiving the fabric to be wound thereon.

A further object of the invention is to provide an irnproved spool for supporting pile fabric in spaced apart convolutions during storage or shipment, the spool being capable of winding and unwinding the fabric when its shaft is rotated.

Still another object of the invention is to provide novel apparatus for winding pile fabric in spaced apart convolutions extending between the opposed heads of a spool, the shaft of the spool being telescopable and spring loaded outwardly for maintaining tension on the fabric and for accommodating various widths of fabric.

A still further object of the invention is to provide apparatus for winding piled, or napped fabric automatical- 1y, without requiring manual placement of the selvedge on hooks or pins, wherein the winding spool .or reel is formed principally of light, low cost, stacked, nested members of sheet material thereby reducing shipping costs as well as labor costs.

Other objects and advantages of the apparatus of the invention will be apparent from the claims, the description of the drawings and from the drawings in which FIG. 1 is a plan View of the apparatus of the invention with parts broken away,

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the device shown in FIG. 1, 1

F1643 is a side elevation of the device shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, side view on line 4-4 of FIG. 1 showing one of the heads of the device,

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing a fully wound spool with the locking mechanism in place, and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged, side view, similar to FIG. 4 showing one of the indexing elements of the device.

The apparatus 24} of this invention may be fed with an elongated web 21 of high nap fabric such as velvet or the like, manually ,by an operator However, as shown in FIG. 3, diagrammatically, it is preferred that the web 21 be delivered automatically to the' appa-ratus from a tentering machine 22. The tentering machine 22 systematically straightens the Web by catching the selvedge of the fabric on pins or clips 23 carried by the tenter chains 24, the width of the web being made uniform. Suitable cloth guides and automatic feelers 25 of a type well known in the art are provided to assure that the high nap fabric web 21 is uniformly of a predetermined width as it approaches the apparatus 20.

Apparatus 20 includes a frame 26 having a pair of spaced apart, coaxial, stub shafts 27 and 28 journalled in suitable bearings 30 and 31 thereon at approximately the height of the upper stretch 32 of the tenter chain 24. The opposed inner ends 33 and 34 of the stub shafts each include a socket of square cross section such as at 35. A timing pulley 36 is fixed to the outer end of stub shaft 28 and an identical timing pulley 37 is fixed intermediate of stub shaft 27, the pulleys 36 and 37 being connected by timing belts 38 and 39 and timing pulleys 41 and 42 to a common drive shaft 43 journalled in bearings such as 44 on frame 26. A power train 45 connects shaft 43 to an electric motor 46, on frame 26, whereby the stub shafts 27 and 28 are always synchronized by the drive means 40 to rotate at the same speed.

The timing pulley 37 is keyed at 47 to stub shaft 27 to permit shaft 27 to be advanced or retracted axially for securing predetermined spacings between the opposed ends 33 and 34. The outer end 48 of stub shaft 27 includes a plurality of axially spaced, transverse grooves such as 49, each arranged to receive a spring pressed latch 51, operable by a knob 52 to fix the stub shaft 27 at various axial locations. 1

A spool 53 is provided for winding the fabric web 21, the spool 53 having a telescopable shaft 54, spring loaded outwardly into normally expanded condition by the coil spring55. Each opposite end 56 and 57 of the shaft 54 is squared to fit within the squared sockets 35 of the inner ends 33 and 34 of the stub shafts 26 and 27. The spool 53 may be mounted and dismounted from the apparatus 24 by unlatchin-g the stub shaft 27 and sliding it axially of the machine. The coil spring may be compressed to conform with the width of the web to be wound on spool 53, and when the spool is fully wound and removed from the machine the spring 55 will maintain tension on the fabric by urging the telescoped pa-rts of the shaft away from each other.

A pair of opposed heads 60 and 61 are mounted at each opposite ends of the spool shaft, head 60 being carried by the telescopable part 62 and head 61 being carried by the telescopable part 63. Each head, such as 60, is formed by a stack of concentric, thin, annular, disclike members such as the inside member 64, the similar intermediate member 65 and the similar outer member 66, each outer member being progressively greater in diameter than the next innermost member. The inside member 64 of each head 60; and 61 is fixed to the telescopable, spring loaded shaft 54 by set screw 59 to rotate therewith while all of the other members 65 and 66 are independently rotatable relative to the shaft 54. Each disclike member 64, 65 or 66 includes an inwardly projecting rim 67, 68 or 69 extending peripherally therearound except for at least one slot such as 71, 72 or 73 therein. The slots 71, 72 and 73 in the rims are arranged to form a common, substantially radial groove 74 and 75 in each head 60 and 61 for receiving the selvedge 76 or 77 of the fabric web 21. Each rim 67, 68 and 69 also includes a plurality of spaced, radially extending .pins, or teeth, such as 78 extending entirely therearound except for the slot such as 71 for catching in the selvedge 76 or 77 and supporting the convolutions of the web 21 between the opposed heads 60 and 61 without pressure on the nap of the web.

The spool 53 includes abutment means such as 81 on each head 60 or 61, each abutment means 81 including radially extending pins 82 on the rims of each member and axially extending studs 83 on the inner faces of the next outermost members. Thus, as best shown in FIG. 4, when the inner member 64 has revolved one full revolution with shaft 54, the stud 83 of the next outer-most member 65 will be in the path of the pin 82 and their engagement will cause member 65 to commence revolving one full turn with shaft 54. Similarly each successive outer member will be caused to revolve until the web 2 1 is fully wound in the spool 53.

Locking means 85 is associated with the spool 53 for maintaining the slots 71, 72 and 73 in alignment in the form of the grooves 74 and 75 and for preventing undesired rotation of the intermidiate or outer members 65 and 66 while the web 21 is being wound on the spool. Locking means 85 includes a pair of detents '86 and 87, each received in one ofthe grooves 74 or 75 and both carried on a rack 88. The rack 88 includes a pair of parallel rods 89 and 90 each slidable transversely on frame 26 in bracekts such as 91, so that the rods 89 and 90 slide in a plane just below the plane of the spool shaft 54.

Indexing means 93, as best shown in FIG. 5, is provided to retract the detents 86 and 87 in synchronization with the rotation of shaft 54 to release the next successive outer member of spool 53 to rotation with the shaft when an inner member has completed one full turn. As shown, the rods 89 and '90 are provided with a series of uniformly spaced recesses such as 94, which may form teeth 95 intermeshed with at least one tooth 96 of an element 97 or 98 rotatable with one of the stub shafts 27 and 28. Thus as the shaft 54 is rotated by drive means 40 it will move the rack 88 in successive identical increments for releasing one disc-like member at a time for rotation with the shaft.

1 It is within the scope of this invention for the nested stack of disc-like members of each head 60 and 61 to be constructed in a somewhat different manner. Inwardly projecting hooks mounted radially on spokes have been used in the manually wound spools or reels of the prior art. Inwardly projecting hooks could be substituted for the toothed rims of this invention as a partial mechanical equivalent but muchv greater support is provided for the selvedge ofthe web by resting the same on a rim rather than between spaced books. The nest of rimmed members shown in the drawing are greatly enlarged in thickness and it should be noted that the members may be made of thin, low cost sheet material such as cardboard, plastic or metal because they mutually support each other against inward tension increasingly as the diameter of the conveniently assembled in a single head and preferably an outer cap of polygonal outline such as at 101 and 102 is provided on each head to protect the fabric during storage and shipment and to prevent the spool from rolling.

In operation the web 21 is fed from the tentering machine 22 into the radial grooves 74 and 75 and the leading edge of the selvedge 76 and 77 is impaled on the pins, or teeth 78 of the inside member 64 of spool 53. The detents 86 and 87 fully occupy the grooves'74 and 75 so that only the inside member 64 may revolve with shaft 54. Upon energizing motor 46, drive means 40 causes the shaft 54 to rotate one full turn and the selvedge 76 and 77 of the web is wound on the rims 67 of the member 64 with the pins 78 successively piercing the selvedge and supporting the first convolution of the web. After one full turn of the members 64 of each head, the pins 82 of members 64 will abut the studs 83 of the next outermost members 65 to rotate the same while the indexing means 93 will withdraw the detents 86 and '87 in the grooves 74 and 75 a single increment sufiicient to released the members 65 to rotation. Thus operation continues automatically until the spool is fully wound at which time it can be removed and another spool substituted.

The locking means fixes the disc-like elements of the spool 53 against rotation, except in the desired sequence from inside to outside, when the spool 53 is in the apparatus 20. However, as best shown in FIG. 4, when the spool 53 has been fully wound and is. ready for storage or shipment, locking mechanism 99 is provided in the form of a rod 108 which is inserted in registering 'holes such as 1431 in the heads 60 and 61 and held in place by any suitable means such as the threaded nuts 102. The disc-like elements are thus prevented from rotating until the fabric is to be unwound and when the spool is empty the rods 106) will keep the slots 71, 72 and 73 in alignment as substantially radial grooves: 74 and 75.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for winding a Web of high nap fabric with the convolutions thereof separated from each other, said apparatus including a spool having a pair of opposed heads connected by a common, axially extending, shaft, each head comprising a stack of thin, concentric disc-like members of progressively lgreater diameter from the inside member to the outside member and each member being independently, rotatable relative to said shaft; an inwardly projecting rim on the disc-like member of each said head, said rim having teeth spaced circumferentiall-y therearound for engaging the selvedge of said [fabric and a slot therein arranged to register with corresponding slots in the other rims of said head to form a substantially radial groove in said head; abutment means on each said head for connecting each individual disc-like member to said shaft successively from the inside member to the outside member; locking means associated with each said head, said mechanism including a pair of detents slidably mounted on said apparatus and each received in one of said grooves of one of said heads; drive means on said apparatus for rotating said shaft and indexing means on said apparatus for progressively with drawing said ldetents in the grooves in said heads in synohronization with the rotation of said shaft.

2. Apparatus as specified in claim 1 wherein said common, axially extending shaft is telescopable and spring loaded outwardly by a coil spring mounted thenewithin- (for maintaining the tension of the fabric Web supported between said heads. 1

3. Apparatus as specified in claim 1 wherein said abutment means comprises a pin extending radially outwardly from each said rim and a stud extending inwardly from the inner face of each next successive, outer member, in the path of said-pin, said pins and studs being all proximate the said slots in said rims.

4. Apparatus as specified in claim 1 wherein said drive means includes a pair of opposed, coaxial, longitudinally spaced, stub shafts rotatably supporting the opposite ends of theshaft of said spool, a common drive shaft and timing belts for connecting each said stub shaft to said common :drive shaft for synchronizing the rotation of said stub shafts.

5. A combination as specified in claim 4 wherein one said stub shaft includes a plurality of longitudinally spaced grooves therearound and said apparatus includes a spring loaded latch having its tip received in one of said grooves for axially adjusting the space between said stub shafts,

6. Apparatus as specified in claim 1 wherein said looking means includes a pair of rods slidably movable transversely of said coaxial stub shafts, said rods having spaced teeth therealon-g and said indexing means includes a pair of elements each rotatable with one of said stub shafts and each having at least one tooth arranged to intermesh with the teeth of the adjacent rod with each revolution of said stub shafts for retracting said rods a predetermined distance.

7. Winding apparatus for high nap fabrics, said apparatus including a rotatable shaft, opposed heads on said shaft, each head comprising a plurality of thin, concentric, annular members, independently rotatable on said shaft, said members being of progressively greater diameter from the inside member to the outside member; hook means projecting inwardly from the periphery of each said member for supporting the selved-ge of said fabric, said hook means forming at least one substantially radial groove in the inner face of each said head, abutment means on each said head for successively connecting each said member with said shaft for rotation therewith; locking means on said apparatus including a pair of detents each received in one of said substantially radial grooves; drive means on said apparatus for rotating said shaft and indexing means on said apparatus for progressively withdrawing said detents from said grooves to release successive members to rotation with said shaft.

8. A combination as specified in claim 7 wherein said hook means comprises a rim on each said member projecting inwardly therefrom and teeth radially positioned around said rim and said groove is formed by registering slots in said rims.

9. A combination as specified in claim 7 wherein said shaft is telescopable and spring loaded outwardly for exerting uniform tension on said fabric.

10. Apparatus for Winding a web of high nap fabric with the convolutions thereof separated from each other, said apparatus including a telescopable shaft having spring means therewithin spring loading the same into expanded condition; a pair of oposed heads on said shaft, each head comprising a concentric stack of thin, annular members independently rotatable relative to said shaft, each member having inwardly projecting, selvedge supporting means on the periphery thereof of greater diameter than the diameter of the next innermost member; abutment means on each said head for successively connecting each individual member thereof to the next outermost member for rotation by said shaft with each revolution thereof; locking mechanism, associated with each said head, for preventing the free rotation of the annular members thereof relative to each other and selvcdge piercing means on said selvedge supporting means whereby said spring loaded shaft maintains tension on the convolutions of fabric wound on, and extending between said heads.

11. Apparatus for winding a web of high nap fabric, said apparatus including a detachable spool having a pair of opposed heads connected by a common, axially extending shaft, each head comprising a series of concentric Web supporting members of progressively increasing diameters independently rotatable around the axis of said shaft; means for revolving the innermost member and means for picking up an adjoining member at each revolution of said shaft; selvedige piercing means spaced around each said web supporting member for progressively catching in the convolutions of a web of said fabric; locking means, on said apparatuatfor progressively releasing said members rto rotation with said shaft from the inside to the outside of said spool, and spring loaded shaft means, operable when said spool is detached, to continuously exert pressure in opposite axial directions on said Web supporting members for maintaining tension on a web supported therebetween.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. APPARATUS FOR WINDING A WEB OF HIGH NAP FABRIC WITH THE CONVOLUTIONS THEREOF SEPARATED FROM EACH OTHER, SAID APPARATUS INCLUDING A SPOOL HAVING A PAIR OF OPPOSED HEADS CONNECTED BY A COMMON, AXIALLY EXTENDING, SHAFT, EACH HEAD COMPRISING A STACK OF THIN, CONCENTRIC DISC-LIKE MEMBERS OF PROGRESSIVELY GREATER DIAMETER FROM THE INSIDE MEMBER TO THE OUTSIDE MEMBER AND EACH MEMBER BEING INDEPENDENTLY, ROTATABLE RELATIVE TO SAID SHAFT; AN INWARDLY PROJECTING RIM ON THE DISC-LIKE MEMBER OF EACH SAID HEAD, SAID RIM HAVING TEETH SPACED CIRCUMFERENTIALLY THEREAROUND FOR ENGAGING THE SELVEDGE OF SAID FABRIC AND A SLOT THEREIN ARRANGED TO REGISTER WITH CORRESPONDING SLOTS IN THE OTHER RIMS OF SAID HEAD TO FORM A SUBSTANTIALLY RADIAL GROOVE IN SAID HEAD; ABUTMENT MEANS ON EACH SAID HEAD FOR CONNECTING EACH INDIVIDUAL DISC-LIKE MEMBER TO SAID SHAFT SUCCESSIVELY FROM THE INSIDE MEMBER TO THE OUTSIDE MEMBER; LOCKING MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH EACH SAID HEAD, SAID MECHANISM INCLUDING A PAIR OF DETENTS SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON SAID APPARATUS AND EACH RECEIVED IN ONE OF SAID GROOVES OF ONE OF SAID HEADS; DRIVE MEANS ON SAID APPARATUS FOR ROTATING SAID SHAFT AND INDEXING MEANS ON SAID APPARATUS FOR PROGRESSIVELY WITHDRAWING SAID DETENTS IN THE GROOVES IN SAID HEADS IN SYNCHRONIZATION WITH THE ROTATION OF SAID SHAFT. 